Tucked off in the far south eastern corner of Asia is an archipelago of islands that numbers 7107 in total. Palm trees, turquoise seas, white sand beaches, and sunshine are all in abundance, and the climate is that unbeatable tropical warmth found in places like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. If you took a boat straight east for about 3 days from Koh Phangan in Thailand, you would be in amongst the scattered islands that make up the Philippines. What separates the Philippines from other pleasurable destinations in the world though is that tourists and travellers are yet to penetrate beyond the surface level of this country. There are certain locations where tourist industries have been set up, but there is still SO MUCH to be explored and discovered. Taking boat rides in the Philippines brings you back to what the Magellan’s and Columbus’ would have felt exploring a great new frontier that sparkled with beauty. Free & Easy is proud to have taken that role as explorer and created a 40-day route through this country that is packed with epic moments from start to finish.
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In a recent world study that compared the overall happiness of the
people in a nation, the Filipino people came out on top – the ‘Happiest
Country in the World’. That is not to say everyone is always happy, but
the Filipino approach to life has an enormous emphasis on enjoyment,
and when faced with frustration or hardship they quite easily slouch it
off and put a smile on. Everywhere you travel in the Philippines, you
are greeted with ‘hellos!!’ and ‘what’s your name?’ by passersby that
are curious and excited to see a foreign face in their community. You
feel welcome and safe, and can focus on just enjoying their incredible
country. Since English is also widely spoken, it is easy to communicate
with Filipinos and find yourself in meaningful conversations where you
can learn more about their lives.
The natural world in the Philippines makes it a playground of
adventures. Pristine coral reefs and the warm, crystal clear water make
it one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world – yet without
the masses of other divers! There are opportunities to see thresher
sharks, manta rays, sea turtles and even WHALE SHARKS (10 meter long
gentle giants)!! The islands along the far east of the Philippines face
directly into the Pacific Ocean and offer surf breaks such as
‘Majestics’ and ‘Cloud 9’. Other wonders include islands encircling
hidden lagoons, deep caves, massive waterfalls, volcanoes, and the
‘Chocolate Hills’. One of our trip highlights will be 2-days of
trekking in the mountains going through 1000 – 2000 year old rice
terraces that are considered to be one of the ‘Wonders of the World’.
Many unique animal species can be found only in the Philippines giving
it the nickname as the ‘Galapagos of Asia.’
Another factor that makes the Philippines so enjoyable...is that it
is cheap!! Fresh seafood, BBQ chicken and other Filipino specialities
are available for only a few dollars almost anywhere. All of the
adventure activities, snacks, and local transport are also incredibly
inexpensive so you aren’t limited to tight spending to have a great
time. The cost of alcohol in the Philippines will never cease to
astonish you as beer costs $0.50/bottle, and a bottle of Rum is $1!
Even a 26oz. bottle of ‘Gilby’s’ Gin can be bought for under $4! So,
when you combine the culture, nature, and adventure of the Philippines
with the affordable living, AND the good times that always come while
travelling with a Free & Easy group, you can be sure that you won’t
want to leave!